+25.5 (∆ -2)

Last night was my first time eating out at a restaurant since I starting this whole thing. Restaurants are a danger zone for me—my inclination is to make the most of dining out by ordering a fantastic dish, but that usually means the worst possible thing for me. For instance, I love pasta, and whenever I see Fettucini Alfredo, my mouth waters up in anticipation. 'Tis my Kryptonite.

Having a plan is key, I've found. Knowing well in advance that I'm simply not going to order certain "trigger" dishes like Fettucini Alfredo fortifies my willpower against temptation. Maybe one day, Alfredo won't be quite as enticing (remember how long it took me to ween off whole milk?), but for now, those yummy noodles would kick me into "screw it" mode. So I opted for Salmon & Mashed Potatoes and escaped the restaurant by being full... and satisfied. Now I know what to order next time I go there!

I've also been wrestling with hunger pangs in the late evenings, which is a new sensation for me. This time around, though, whenever I feel this late-night hunger, I gleefully flip the bird at that mischievous Lard Troll trying to seduce me into paying a visit to the fridge.

On Monday, I also hit an emotional obstacle—for three days straight, my weight didn't change at all. I sort of expected something like that so I wasn't too surprised. Even so, it's still frustrating when I know I'm eating better and eating substantially fewer calories. I probably ought to take my own advice and not pay too much heed to the weight number because sometime soon, my weight will likely go up before it goes down again and that should be seen as a statistical anomaly in the larger picture of weight loss trending downward.